Improvement in cotton-harvesters



ZSheets-Sheetl W. H. PEDRICK.

COTTON-HARVESTER. No.175,491. Patented March 28,1876.

EIT F5 2 7 N. PETER& PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. Dv C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. PEDRIGK, OF RICHMOND, INDIANA.

' IMPROVEMENT l N CO' I'TON-HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 175,491. dated March 28, 1876; application filed January 24, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. PEDRICK, of Richmond, inthe county of Wayne and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Harvesters; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure lis a plan view ofa machine em bodying the improvements of my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an edge view, showing a modification of the brush-wheel herein described. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 shows a modification of the picking'teeth and cleaning-brush. Figs. 6 and 7 are modifications of the means employed to give elasticity to the picking-teeth. Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the endless chain and the endless brushbelt employed in the modification shown in Fig. 5, and Fig. 9 shows several methods of imparting elasticity to the picking-teeth.

This invention relates to improvements in cotton-harvesters; and it consists, first, in

' constructing the picking-teeth of a cottonharvester from annular rings of spring-steel, so that the teeth will have a continuous base, be round or briar pointed, be bent upwardly from their continuous base, and have greater space between their points than their bases,-

in order to hold fast to the cotton, and at the same time prevent limbs or bolls of any size from getting between them; second y, in securing the annular rows of teeth constructed from spring-steel, as above described, to an elastic surface stretched over the inner side of a picking-wheel, in order to insure great elasticity to the teeth when operated; thirdly, in placing between the inner elastic covering of the picking-Wheel and the inner face of the picking-wheel itself coils of rubber tubing, as hereinafter described; fourthly, of two picking-wheels provided with elastic inner surfaces, upon which annular rows of teeth are fixed; fifthly, of a brush cleaning wheel, constructed and arranged to operate between the picking-wheels to remove the cotton therefrom to the box or receptacle; sixthly, of a con veyer for catching the dropping cotton and conveying it to the box in the rear of the picking-wheels; seventhly, of a trash-guard, constructed and operating as hereinafter described and, lastly, of two similar wheels, mounted at a suitable distance apart, to operate on opposite sides of the row of cottonplants, provided with picking-teeth on their inside surfaces, and adapted to revolve in the opposite direction from that in which the machine is advancing, all of which will hereinafter more fully appear.

This machine is drawn by two horses, which walk one on each side of the row of cottonplants to be picked. The guides, driving, and picking machinery are eratingsimuitaneously on opposite sides of the row of cotton-plants.

In the drawings, A designates the frame of the machine; B, the cotton box or receptacle at the rear end thereof. The gearing pp, attached rigidly to the ground or driving wheels 0 G,-engages with the pinions O O, which are attached to the shaft or axis I at its extremities, and provided with ratchet-wheels and pawls 0. Upon the shaft I are the picking- -wheels Q Q, keyed thereto by a feather, and

as the machine is drawn forward it causes the picking-wheels to revolve in the opposite direction from that in which the machine is advancing. The guides K K are in front of the acking-wheels Q Q, and are fastened to and under the front part of the frame A, as shown.

The space between the guides narrows from their forward extremities to their rear ones. A guide, K, passing on each side of the main stalk of cotton, elevates the lateral branches, and brings them near the center line of the machine, and between the pickingwheels Q Q, which are furnished with teeth,

which, by their forward and rotary motion, pick or remove the cotton from the open bolls first at the bottom, and then at successively higher points ofthe stalk, until the top thereof is reached. ,The stalk, if higher than the shaft I, is bent forward and downward by said shaft, thereby permitting the cotton to be picked from the lowest to the highest bolls.

In constructing the picking-teeth of springsteel or other suitable metal, with two or more duplicate devices, op;

teeth to each piece, I prefer placing them in the form of rings, forming a continuous base of elastic metal, which, being'thin and readily yielding, springs sidewise when pressure is made upon the teeth in picking cotton.

The teeth being bent up in somewhat of an oblique direction, or nearly at right angles with their bases, and pointing or curving somewhat in the direction in which the machine advances, they readily receive the cotton in the open bolls between their round smooth or briar points-their points being so close together as not to admit of limbs or bolls of much size get ting between them, or of being taken hold of by them. These teeth are closer together at their bases than at their points, and, consequently, form a wedge shaped space between them, which materially assists them in holding fast to the cotton, which is forced tightly between the teeth by the pressure of the teeth on the opposite wheel against the limbs and bolls. This pressure is reeiprocated between thewheeIs as they pick the cotton simultaneously from opposite sides of the bolls.

In order to give greater elasticity tothe picking-teeth, I use a number of coils of rubber tubing, 0, fastened against the inside face of the picking-wheels,having the center of the wheel for the comm ou'center of the circles. Over these coils is spread asheet of rubber or other elastic or suitablematerial, to which the bases of the picking-teeth are fastened in rows to come between the coils of rubber tubing beneath, or as may be found to produce the'best results, the said sheetof rubber being properly fastened to the wheel. 7

By the above construction of the pickingwheels Q Q and the teeth, local elasticity is secured. The wheels Q Q are allowed a partial self-adjusting movement on the shaft sidewise by means of spiral springs S S upon said shaft, which serve to press the wheelsQ Q toward each other, but also allow them to yield to the pressure caused by the limbs bearing'against the picking-teeth. The wheels Q Q are prevented from approaching each other too nearly by means of a spool between them on the shaft 1.

'On the side pieces of the 'frame A, and on a line with the axis of thewheels O O, are the semicircular elevations H H, upon whichthe shaft I, extending across the frame,' has its bearings journaled in boxes it, which are adjustable for the purpose of raising or lowering the picking-wheels at will, by means of the levers L, bolts m, and holes a, to suit the different heights of cotton. I p

A guard, Y, made adjustable by means of a slot and screw, t, at one end, is attached to the frame of the machine at the front, and extends backward nearly horizontal, and about'level with the shaft I, between the picking-wheels. Said guard is provided with ribs or arms 1?, crossing it at right angles, and each wide enough to nearly occupy the space between the rows of picking-teeth, leaving only space the picking-wheels Q.

enough for the seed cotton to be drawn between them and' the picking-teeth, thereby effectually separating it from the limbs, bolls, and trash.

In order to catch whatever cotton may fall from the picking teeth after reaching the brush cleaning wheel, a eonveyer, X,is provided, consisting of two strips extending from the inside centers of the picking-wheels to the box which receives'the gathered cotton, said strips each having one end loosely coupled to the inside hub ofone of the picking-wheels, and both their other extremities, being pivoted together, lead to the floor of the cotton-box. The said strips are made to lap slightly, one over the other, so that when there is a lateral movement of the picking-wheels, the strips will adjust their width accordingly.

Upon a shaft, T, located across the machine in the rear of the picking-wheels, is placed the brush cleaning wheel R, which operates between the picking-wheels, and revolves much faster in an opposite direction, so as to brush the cotton from the teeth of the picking-wheels back to the box or receptacle B. The supports U, in which the shaft T has its bearin gs, have slats W at their lower ends, and are secured to the frame of the machine by means of screws or bolts, so that said shaft T is adjustable in its elevation and position. Motion isimparted to the shaftTfrom shaft I by means of the pulleys c and w and the'belt or cord upforming circles, as shown in Fig.2, so placed as on them. The ton gne D, being elevated above the cotton-stalks, isprovided with a neck-yoke and double-tree bent downward, with their extremities low enough for the convenience of draft. The drivers seat G is firmly secured to the frame of the machine. I prefer to place the picking-teeth in the form of rings, in order to use the guard Y for separating the seedcotton from the trash. They may, however, be placed with their bases running to and from the center of the shaft 1, or otherwise promiscuously over the faces of the wheels,

and rigidly fastened, if desired, without the elastic base of rubber or metal. 7

A modification in the construction of the picking-wheels and cleaning brush wheel is shown in Fi 5, namely: In lieu of the clean-- ing brush Wheel, as described, a sprocketwheel, R, is placed upon the shaft T. In front of this wheel, and secured to the box B, is a yoke, Z,"from which two arms, 6, project forward, curving somewhat upward, in which two small Wheels, f 9, have their bearings.

About these wheels and the wheel R passes an endless band or chain, r, upon which is an endless brush-belt, r, to take the cotton from The last mentioned wheels are provided with an elastic inner surface as a base for the picking-teeth h, which are fixed thereto in rows forming circles, as

shown in Fig. 5, and somewhat inclined in the direction of their movement. The said teeth h, however, are attached so as to have space between them, without the continuous base,

I'75,49l v. 3

and are usually made of wire so cut and bent as to form two teeth of one piece. When made in this way, the teeth may be secured to the elastic covering by means of a strip of rubber, leather, or other suitable material, fastened as shown in Fig. 9, that being a view of the under side of a detached part of the elastic covering aforesaid, having the teeth 71..

Instead of the rubber coils 0, strips of rubber 0', curled as shown in Fig. 6, may be arranged upon and secured to the inner surfaces of the picking wheels, and covered with a sheet of rubber or leather 5 or a number of spiral springs, 0, may be secured to the inner surface of the picking-wheel, as shown in Fig. 7, and covered in like manner.

The cleaning brush belt shown in Fig. 5 may be operated in different elevated positions by appropriately adjusting it.

A further modification in the cleaning brush wheel R is shown in Fig. 3, being an edge view, showing the wheel divided into two parts, arranged upon the shaft, and having on the shaft, between the two parts, a spiral spring, to allow them a yielding motion inward.

Each of the pinions 0011 the shaft I has a ratchet-whee] and pawl, O, on the said shaft, so constructed that the gathering mechanism is operated as the harvester moves forward, but does not operate when it moves backward. These ratchet-wheels and pawls 0 also facilitate the turning of the machine.

The gearing may-be boxed to protect it from dirt, 85c.

Having described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The picking-teeth-h, formed with a continuous base, from annular plates or strips of metal, as shown, for the purposes set forth.

2. The teeth h, formed from annular plates or strips, and secured to an elastic surface on the inner side of the pickin g-wheel, in annularrows, as shown, for the purpose specified.

3. The coils c of rubber tubing, placed between the inner surface of the picking-wheel and the elastic covering of the same, so as to come between the locations of the bases of the annular rows of teeth, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The picking-wheels, provided with elastic inner surfaces, upon which annular rows of teeth are fixed, in combination with the shaft I and spiral springs S, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

5. In a cotton-harvester, the brush cleaningwheel R on the shaft T, provided with the adjustable supports U, as and for the purposes set forth.

6. The conveyer X, consisting of two parts coupled to the picking-wheels, and pivoted together at their lower ends, as shown, for the purpose set forth.

7. The-adjustable guard Y, secured to the frame of the harvester, and extending between the picking-wheels, with the ribsP between the annular rows of picking-teeth, as shown, for the purpose specified.

8. In combination with the draft-pole of the harvester-frame, the yoke Fand double-tree E, as and for the purposes described.

9. Two similar wheelsmounted at a suitable distance apart, to operate on opposite sides of a row of cotton, provided with picking-teeth on their inside surfaces,and adapted to be revolved in the opposite direction from that in which the machine is advancing, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing improvements, as above described, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this-11th day of January, 1876.

WILLIAM H. PEDRIOK.

Witnesses:

DAVID H. HILL, W. E. BELL, J. H. MGINTYRE. 

